The pilot guided the Boeing 747 from an altitude of 33,000 feet to 9,900 feet about 10 minutes after the loss of pressure triggered the release of oxygen masks.

The flight, the second leg of a journey that began in Brazil, landed at Shin Chitose Airport in Sapporo city on the northernmost main island of Hokkaido.

Separately, the JAL jet carrying 85 passengers bound for Manila was rerouted to an airport near the western city of Osaka when its altimeter malfunctioned shortly after takeoff from the central city of Nagoya, the officials said.

The altimeter was fixed two hours later, and the plane continued on to the Philippines.